I found myself intrigued by a quote featured in one of my picks for the Fashion Bibliography, Why the Coach Handbag is a Symbol of It’s Era-Defying Cool. The quote attributed to cultural historian Joel Dinerstein, succinctly states, “The French have chic…but Americans invented cool.”
One of the things that I love about my given profession is that it draws upon multiple “sciences” to explain human behavior. Sadly, my profession has been internally oppressed for decades because of a person named Abraham Flexner who said we weren’t a real profession because we did not have our own unique knowledge base. Unlike many of my peers, I find this aspect of my profession the very thing that makes me complex and different. It offers multiple perspectives through which one can examine a question. And so with anthropology, history and sociology as a frame I began my exploration of what Joel Dinerstein may have meant.
To put this all in context, since returning from China where I actually realized with a shock that I am now a kind of public figure and role model for a younger generation, I have been curious about why this is so. I now ask this question of every young person who I meet who is a fan. My Instagram follower majority are ages 18-35. The most common and repeated comment from this audience across all countries and cultures is always, “You are so cool, I want to be like you when I am older.” My newfound status as icon is most times surreal and unbelievable to me. My questions became, “What is meant by cool? and “What is the relationship to getting older?”
In Joel Dinerstein’s Tedx talk, he says that icons of cool are cultural guides that offer strategies for an unwritten future and carve out new cultural space for a given generation. Cool is an unasked question, “How do I get where you are?” Cool is not celebrity and consumerism, Cool is not a saint, nor is cool perfect. Cool as defined by African-American jazz musicians is, “Emotions under control in a stylish and detached manner.” Cool has a signature style that is inseparable from that person’s experience. The icon of cool creates the conditions for a new generation’s self-creation. I think I have come to the conclusion that young people are interested in me because they are more interested in self creation than the generations before them (this is based on my experience as an educator). My students do not want to work for government or social institutions they want to start their own organizations, find unique ways to solve social problems. Unlike earlier generations, I am starting to suspect many young people do not want to be afraid of aging anymore, there is a desire not to reject it. There seems to be a wish to not be “anti” or reactive as in “anti-aging”, but pro-active as in creation. In this time of uncivil discourse, there is a desire and attraction to those who are detached, relaxed and stylish and accepting of, yet resisting when needed, their time and place. Dinerstein’s presentation of Lester Young in his talk is a remarkable example. Like me, there seems to be others who have a growing desire for calm, passion and defiance that is performed rather than spoken and fashion is a big part of what could make that happen.
What would a calm, relaxed and stylish personal style look like for you in your time and place?
Thank you
The pants – I’m obsessed!
I just read a research paper from one of my students who approached it through a sociological perspective, broke it down methodically with beautiful fluidity, and it reminded me of the work you do. The topic was integrating the novel Frankenstein with robotics and ethics within domestic, medicine, military spheres and anything in between. That being said, I think sociology is cool. I don’t know that women have been regarded as "cool", like men. "Tough" or "bitch" seem to be the go to words for women who show strength or disengagement along with a sense of calm under pressure. I’ve experienced it first hand when a male authority figure told me, "You’re a bitch like Hillary Clinton." Oookie dokkkkie. Thus, you’ve provided all of us, not just the 18-35 age range with a pierian horizon to look toward that illustrates one can be "cool" , kind, stunning, insightful, compassionate, caring, and many other facets at the same time. "Cool" is a beautiful image and a beautiful image makes "cool", but the reality is much more dynamic; I’m certain that is what people experience when they speak and work with you in person. A number of women wear sunglasses in their photos, but because there is a degree of androgyny and a lovely sense of the clean-line uniformity operating within the nuances you inject from the Asian culture, you provide us an authentic "cool", a serious inquiry into the world of fashion framed within the beauty of ethics, standards, practices, new ideas, ideas with integrity, with a dash of foreign allure. So "cool" actually becomes somewhat arbitrary when deconstructed in the Accidental Icon world because, while maintaining its enigmatic quality, it is being beautifully reinterpreted, reconstructed.
Aristotilean Style and a Big Dog
This is a great point! I think the best-dressed people are ones who are certainly passionate about fashion, but still, they want to feel comfortable in their own skin! This is cool to me…this is how you find yourself!
This is a great point! I think the best-dressed people are ones who are certainly passionate about fashion, but still, they want to feel comfortable in their own skin! This is cool to me…this is how you find yourself!
Hello Lyn,
This is the first blog post of yours that I have read, your writting reached through the screen and your words rang true with me. I like many believe you to be very cool. The way your individuality is reflected through your style is inspiring; I feel like I know you a little better by the way you have let style communicate your personality. At 30 something, finding my syle has been an on going challenge, I hope by your age I have that much class and ability to reflect my personal style. Thanks for teaching us all that it’s okay to be unique and to let your style reflect who we are. <3
And Emily the who you are will always be changing and evolving. This is not the style I had when I was 30. It is the result of countless risks and experiments. So who are you now and how can what you wear express that?
Hello Lyn,
This is the first blog post of yours that I have read, your writting reached through the screen and your words rang true with me. I like many believe you to be very cool. The way your individuality is reflected through your style is inspiring; I feel like I know you a little better by the way you have let style communicate your personality. At 30 something, finding my syle has been an on going challenge, I hope by your age I have that much class and ability to reflect my personal style. Thanks for teaching us all that it’s okay to be unique and to let your style reflect who we are. <3
And Emily the who you are will always be changing and evolving. This is not the style I had when I was 30. It is the result of countless risks and experiments. So who are you now and how can what you wear express that?
Hi Lyn,
As a millennial, I find your insights 100% accurate (at least for me). I do feel like my generation wants to embrace aging more than the previous cohorts. The general culture celebrates eccentricity, passion, and confidence. You definitely embody all three. I’m so glad I discovered your platform!
-Anh | http://www.girlandtheword.com
Thanks for taking the time to respond and validate my thoughts.
Hi Lyn,
As a millennial, I find your insights 100% accurate (at least for me). I do feel like my generation wants to embrace aging more than the previous cohorts. The general culture celebrates eccentricity, passion, and confidence. You definitely embody all three. I’m so glad I discovered your platform!
-Anh | http://www.girlandtheword.com
Thanks for taking the time to respond and validate my thoughts.
Hello Lyn,
I’ve come across your blog through a link on FB (it’s always Facebook, isn’t it?). Thank you for being exactly who you are and sharing and showing women of all ages that aging is not something to hide. I don’t fall in the demographic of most of your IG followers, I’m almost 50 and a homeschooling mom of 5 (3 in college and doing quite well, an 8th grader and a 5th grader) and I’m certainly not the most fashion forward woman I know. I wear comfortable clothing that looks nice and is flattering -think well cut skinny jeans and longer length linen shirts. This is my style right now. It has evolved from what I wore in my teens, 20’s, 30’s and even my early 40’s. But one thing is certain, I refuse to be limited to what many around me believe older women should wear, namely un-flattering, old-school polyester, shapeless pieces. One thing I try to do is show my four daughters that aging is normal. We are all getting older. But older doesn’t need to mean feeble or frumpy, it can be fun and stylish and chic and cool.
Hello Lyn,
I’ve come across your blog through a link on FB (it’s always Facebook, isn’t it?). Thank you for being exactly who you are and sharing and showing women of all ages that aging is not something to hide. I don’t fall in the demographic of most of your IG followers, I’m almost 50 and a homeschooling mom of 5 (3 in college and doing quite well, an 8th grader and a 5th grader) and I’m certainly not the most fashion forward woman I know. I wear comfortable clothing that looks nice and is flattering -think well cut skinny jeans and longer length linen shirts. This is my style right now. It has evolved from what I wore in my teens, 20’s, 30’s and even my early 40’s. But one thing is certain, I refuse to be limited to what many around me believe older women should wear, namely un-flattering, old-school polyester, shapeless pieces. One thing I try to do is show my four daughters that aging is normal. We are all getting older. But older doesn’t need to mean feeble or frumpy, it can be fun and stylish and chic and cool.
Hi Lyn,
Astonishingly, the first person who made me realise that getting older doesn’t have to mean succumbing to the ravages of time, was Goldie Hawn at 40. I saw her in a movie when I was around 14 and I realised that if one can remain healthy, one can stay plugged in to energy and freedom to do more.
You show us that an interest in fashion is not shallow, materialist, or the preserve of a younger cohort, but supports any age to stay actively engaged in the future – which is the raison d’etre of youthful energy.
My question for you is can you explain the process behind getting to know what the next big thing in street fashion will be? How do we know that a big white shirt, for instance is something we will all want to own? Do people sit around a table somewhere, discussing what it is we should be wearing, is it all instinctive, who decides that skinnies are out and wide is in? Fashion silhouettes seem to repeat themselves, albeit updated, re-interpreted or re-fashioned in various ways but the mystery of how trends evolve, fascinates me.
This is an interesting question you pose. I am putting this down as a topic for a future post and will do some research about this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Lyn,
Astonishingly, the first person who made me realise that getting older doesn’t have to mean succumbing to the ravages of time, was Goldie Hawn at 40. I saw her in a movie when I was around 14 and I realised that if one can remain healthy, one can stay plugged in to energy and freedom to do more.
You show us that an interest in fashion is not shallow, materialist, or the preserve of a younger cohort, but supports any age to stay actively engaged in the future – which is the raison d’etre of youthful energy.
My question for you is can you explain the process behind getting to know what the next big thing in street fashion will be? How do we know that a big white shirt, for instance is something we will all want to own? Do people sit around a table somewhere, discussing what it is we should be wearing, is it all instinctive, who decides that skinnies are out and wide is in? Fashion silhouettes seem to repeat themselves, albeit updated, re-interpreted or re-fashioned in various ways but the mystery of how trends evolve, fascinates me.
This is an interesting question you pose. I am putting this down as a topic for a future post and will do some research about this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Lyn My name is Lynn I am 64 years old There was an article in my local newspaper about you today and it couldn’t have come at a better time I have been a hairstylist for the last 40 yrs always having worked for someone else I am about to undertake a new business venture opening a private salon suite of my own I have questioned this decision many times throughout the process thinking should I be doing this "at my age" Well after reading some of your blogs and seeing some of your pics I can now say " Hell YES!" Thank you ! Ive always felt that after 60 we become almost invisible Well you certainly aren’t! And I don’t intend to be either! Thank you And I will be eagerly following you
Congratulations on your new endeavor! I wish you much success and enjoyment with it.
Hi Lyn My name is Lynn I am 64 years old There was an article in my local newspaper about you today and it couldn’t have come at a better time I have been a hairstylist for the last 40 yrs always having worked for someone else I am about to undertake a new business venture opening a private salon suite of my own I have questioned this decision many times throughout the process thinking should I be doing this "at my age" Well after reading some of your blogs and seeing some of your pics I can now say " Hell YES!" Thank you ! Ive always felt that after 60 we become almost invisible Well you certainly aren’t! And I don’t intend to be either! Thank you And I will be eagerly following you
Congratulations on your new endeavor! I wish you much success and enjoyment with it.